A regional training in strengthening monitoring and evaluation and surveillance capacity of the country M&E team of the ACTMalaria member countries and the countries of the Pacific was jointly organized by ACTMalaria with support and in partnership with Malaria Consortium (MC), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), MEASURE/Evaluation, and in collaboration with the Bureau of Vector-borne Disease of Thailand in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from September 19-28, 2012. The training was attended by 36 representatives from the participating ACTMalaria member countries and the Pacific countries as well as facilitators from WHO, CDC, Malaria Consortium, MEASURE and ACTMalaria

The objectives of the M&E training were the following

1. To impart appropriate monitoring and evaluation skills required for national programmes to track progress for malaria control and elimination in ACTMalaria member countries;
2. To provide adequate training for the implementation of the Regional Malaria Indicator Framework (RMIF) that is in line with National M&E Strategic Plans;
3. To support the creation of a cadre of regional level experts in M&E and Surveillance who can provide technical assistance in M&E (with a focus on implementation of the RMIF) at national and district levels and continuous support to National Malaria Programmes.

The training consisted of a number of presentations of technical information and country situation presentations through poster display; M&E system planning; country M&E team discussions; system evaluation; practical sessions on communication; and a field visit to Chiang Rai, Thailand. The output of the meeting included the development of country action plan and individual proposal to strengthened M&E system of the respective countries.